Creating sand art is an ideal outdoor summer project, and can be as easy or as complicated as a child chooses. Designs can be completed in minutes following a frenzied moment of spontaneity, or after hours of planning and painstaking precision. We opted for the former, which works best with younger children.

Materials

sand in a variety of colours

white glue in a bottle with a fine spout

canvas board

Instructions

1. Any hard, flat surface will do for this project. Think canvas boards, wood, stretched canvas, etc. You’ll also need to determine which colours of sand to use. Each colour can be stored in a ziploc bag, making it easy to access the sand and to pour any excess back in. Alternatively, you can put each colour in a plastic bottle, and poke a hole in the lid for sand to pour out.

2. Glue can be applied by allowing it to flow freely from the spout, creating a variety of patterns and shapes. A paintbrush can be used if you desire more precision. You can then sprinkle sand on top of the glue, wait a few minutes, and shake off any excess. Working section by section, and colour by colour makes sense if the design is very precise. Otherwise, you can pile it on all at once. Make sure to keep the board flat until all the glue has dried.